Atlético de Madrid target Super Eagles star as Antoine Griezmann’s replacement

Eleven-time Spanish La Liga champions, Atlético de Madrid, are weighing up an offer for Super Eagles star, Ademola Lookman as they look to replace the ageing Antoine Griezmann, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 33-year-old Frenchman has been an integral part of the Diego Simeone side that made the Rojiblancos a force to be reckoned with in Spain and Europe for the last decade scoring 196 goals and providing 90 assists in 423 games.

Griezmann’s contract at the Wanda Metropolitano winds up in the summer of 2026, but there are rumours that he might leave for the Major League Soccer in America at the end of the 2024/2025 campaign.

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According to Spanish outlet, Fichajes, Diego Simeone’s side are looking for an ideal replacement for Griezmann, and are ready to break the market in the summer.

The club’s board is working on the signing of a forward who not only fills the void left by the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner but a player who can also form a high-impact partnership with Julián Álvarez. The board have set forth a list including Lautaro Martinez, Alexandar Isak and Ademola Lookman.

Diego Simeone’s perfect replacement for Griezmann is Lautaro Martinez, as he looks to build a formidable Argentine connection in attack with Julain Alvarez.

However, the task is considered almost impossible as the striker is the main figure at Inter Milan and is also under contract at the San Siro until the summer of 2029.

Additionally, Martinez is prized at around €100m, a fee that might be considered overboard by Atletico, considering the cost they used in securing Joao Felix from Benfica six years ago.

As per TransferFeed, the Atletico board consider Ademola Lookman as the most accessible option. The versatile Atalanta forward has scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 27 games for La Dea this season, although he’s currently nursing a knee injury.

The 27-year-old’s contract with Atalanta runs out in the summer of 2026, although there’s an option to extend for another year. Lookman is currently valued at €55.m by Transfermarkt, and is a relatively cheaper option to Isak and Martinez.

Aleksandar Isak

Currently rated by many as the best striker in the world, the Swedish forward has scored 17 goals and provided five assists in 22 English Premier League games this season, and like Lautaro Martinez, will cost nothing less than €100m to exit the St. James Park this summer.

Isak also has suitors in the English Premier League, most notably Chelsea and Arsenal, who are looking for a striker that can score a minimum of 20 league goals per season, as both sides look to compete for the league next campaign.

Ademola Lookman is yet to pen a new deal with Atalanta, and with just a year left on his contract, a move might be on the cards, but it is currently unknown if the former RB Leipzig forward will prefer a transfer to Spain.